Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has a wealth of experience in the dugout and has been there and seen most of what management at the elite level entails.
Before he returned to Parkhead, Ange Postecoglou was in charge and created mass intrigue due to his unique style of football. Both men are shining examples of the heights you can get to by having an unwavering belief in their chosen tactical framework.
One man who has worked under the pair is former Celtic assistant Chris Davies, firstly with Rodgers at Celtic and then alongside Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, playing a major role in implementing styles that have contributed to success on the pitch at either club.
The 39-year-old has recently landed his first managerial role at Birmingham City, earning a deserved shot at putting his widely-respected coaching skills to the test as a number one at the Sky Bet League One outfit.
Intriguingly, the Watford-born man has now dropped some insight into what he has learned working with Rodgers and Postecoglou.
Chris Davies on Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou
Per Birmingham Mail, Davies shone a light on the mindset of both managers and why their core beliefs are so critical to the success they’ve achieved throughout their careers, something he hopes to emulate by using the courage of his own convictions.
He explained: “They are both very clear on what they want from their team. When you are a manager there is going to be a lot of different opinions coming at you from all different angles and it’s very easy to lose sight and not quite grasp what you are trying to do, and it’s very hard to please everyone, but what both those guys have done is be crystal clear on what they want their team to look like and what kind of football they want to play.
“From that, everything all sort of blossoms and builds from there. That is the critical thing I learned from both of them. They are both different characters on how they deal with people and different situations, so the learning there is that there’s no right or wrong way, it needs to be authentic to your own strengths.
“Both are very demanding in terms of the standards they set. Things I spoke about earlier in terms of the environment we are creating here, with each department being very organised, hard-working and innovative, they would both be very demanding around the clubs I worked at to raise standards. They are successful managers in their own right and I’ve learned a great deal from both of them.
“Having said that, I was acutely aware that it was about me forming my own identity as a coach and what I won’t do in this role or any role I do is change one little thing about myself. I will be completely myself throughout, nothing needs to change and nothing will change. I’ll be me and I’ll make my own impact in my own way.”
Chris Davies has the perfect springboard for success
Few new managers at senior level have the grounding of not only 15 years of coaching experience but also having worked under two men who have got to the very top via their exploits, offering plenty of wisdom that he can now impart onto his own group at Birmingham City.
From a Celtic perspective, the work assistant coaches do often goes under the radar. Harry Kewell’s expertise have saw him go on to manage Yokohama F. Marinos; meanwhile, John Kennedy harbours ambitions to step out on his own one day after rejecting several openings elsewhere in the past.
Either way, as a club, the Bhoys seem to pick their backroom staff well, and they are vital organs in the wider context of success at Parkhead.